Moshing is strictly prohibited at Paradise Rock Club, but UK garage kings Gorgon City tested that rule to the limit.
The brave souls that came together on a Monday night to jump up and down like hyper kangaroos were well justified in their energy. Gorgon City’s relentless groove kept the audience moving all night long.
Deep analog basslines and funky chords hit the crowd, causing them to dance and sway in unison. It was like watching the starlings at Otmoor that fly together, so synchronized that they look like one giant animal.
The band has sold in excess of 1 million combined singles and albums worldwide and has played at giant festivals like Coachella, Hard Summer, and Glastonbury. They’ve also performed on the legendary dance music haven of Ibiza in the island’s biggest clubs like Amnesia, Ushuaia, and Sankeys. You know music is good when it can thrive in different settings and environments, and members Foamo and RackNRuin proved that their tunes can flourish from Spain’s white shores to Boston’s icy sidewalks.
Vocalist Lulu James and Josh Barry did a brilliant job of interacting with the crowd, individually serenading screaming fans and brushing the fingers of eager hands reaching out from the pit. Always dancing, the singers let the emotion of the songs show on their faces with closed eyes, clutched fists, and poignant smiles. Lulu’s cute overalls and cobra-esque swaying was a perfect combination for the soulful lyrics she belted out from hits like “Saving My Life” and “Imagination.”
There must have been around 10 gigabytes worth of Snapchat videos sent out into cyberspace that night – straining data plans, creating buzzes and beeps from push notifications on phones. It was the perfect way for someone to boast that they were singing with Gorgon City while their peers were at home simmering in jealousy.